Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders has cancelled a planned visit to Belgium due to security concerns, his party confirmed on Friday. The decision comes amid an ongoing security scare that has already forced him to suspend his election campaign in the Netherlands.
Wilders, whose anti-Islam Party for Freedom (PVV) is leading in the polls ahead of the 15 March general election, had been due to speak at a meeting of European far-right parties in Antwerp. However, the PVV said in a statement that the visit was called off because of “serious threats” to Wilders’ safety.
The cancellation follows the arrest of a police officer from Wilders’ security detail on suspicion of leaking information about his whereabouts to a Moroccan criminal gang. The officer, identified as Faris K, was released on Thursday but remains suspended pending an investigation.
Wilders has lived under 24-hour police protection for more than a decade due to death threats. He was convicted of inciting discrimination against Moroccans in December and has faced heightened security risks since. The Dutch police chief has insisted Wilders’ safety has not been compromised, but Wilders said he could “no longer function” if he could not trust his security team.
